Zero tolerance for violence. Zero tolerance for fragmentation. Zero tolerance for the destruction of civilian lives in the name of a political myth. For more than half a century, the … Continue Reading End Papua Separatism: Zero Tolerance
In November 2020, ABC Indonesian published an article asserting that coordinated social media activity was being used to “divert” international attention away from the West Papua independence issue by promoting … Continue Reading Beyond the “Social Media Operation” Narrative: Reframing the West Papua Debate with Context, Evidence, and Strategic Literacy
A Legal, Historical, and Contextual Defense of Indonesia’s Sovereignty The article “West Papua’s Long Struggle for Independence Under Indonesia Colonialism” (iExaminer) frames Indonesia’s governance of West Papua as “colonialism,” an … Continue Reading Debunking the “West Papua: Long Struggle Under Indonesian Colonialism” Narrative
The article “History of West Papua” published by Free West Papua contains a number of historical inaccuracies, selective interpretations, and misleading claims designed to support a separatist agenda. A critical … Continue Reading History of West Papua
By Mikael Murib In the lush highlands and remote valleys of West Papua, where mist drapes over the mountains each dawn and local communities live by traditions older than the … Continue Reading THE HUMAN COST OF A FALSE STRUGGLE: How Separatist Violence in West Papua Has Betrayed Papuan Communities
For more than five decades, the separatist movement in West Papua has sought international attention by framing itself as a unified struggle for independence. Yet behind the narrative of a … Continue Reading The Fragmentation of the West Papua Separatist Movement: Leadership Crisis, Rival Factions, and the Limits of Mobilization
In remote, mountainous, and culturally diverse West Papua, information has always traveled differently from other parts of Indonesia. Long distances, rugged terrain, and limited internet access in some interior regions … Continue Reading Rumors, False Narratives, and the Fragile Stability of West Papua: How Separatist Disinformation Hurts Communities
Conflict does not begin with weapons. It begins with words—narratives that frame identities, enemies, grievances, and imagined futures. In West Papua, separatist narratives have long shaped perceptions of belonging and … Continue Reading When Narratives Become Violence: How Separatist Rhetoric in West Papua Fuels Division and Harms Papuan Communities
West Papua Indonesia For decades, Papua has stood at the intersection of geopolitics, Cold War history, decolonization, and identity. Yet amid this long and often polarized debate, one fact tends … Continue Reading West Papua’s Final Integration with Indonesia: How International Law Settled the Question — and Why the “1 December Independence” Claim Persists
Abstract Papua—Indonesia’s easternmost region—occupies a unique and complex position in the geopolitical, historical, and socio-cultural landscape of Southeast Asia. This paper provides an analytical assessment of Papua’s historical trajectory within … Continue Reading Papua and Indonesia: A Historical and Geopolitical Analysis of Integration, Identity, and Development
The Road That Changed Everything The road arrived before the trucks, before the school, before the clinic. It snaked its way through the emerald valleys of the central highlands, carving … Continue Reading Winds of Change in the Land of the Birds-of-Paradise: A Story of West Papua’s Journey Toward Prosperity Within Indonesia
Introduction Wamena, the capital of Jayawijaya Regency in the central highlands of Papua, Indonesia, stands as one of the most dynamic and symbolically important towns in the region. Known for … Continue Reading Wamena and the Peaceful Struggle Against Separatism: Building Unity Through Development and Dialogue
Nestled at the western tip of New Guinea Island, Sorong City stands as the beating heart of Southwest Papua Province in Indonesia (Wikipedia contributors, 2025a). As the province’s capital and … Continue Reading Sorong City: The Vibrant Gateway to West Papua’s Wonders
The Yali tribe, one of West Papua’s most enigmatic indigenous groups, inhabits the rugged highlands east of the Baliem Valley in Indonesia’s easternmost province. Numbering around 20,000, the Yali—self-identified as … Continue Reading Yali Tribe Rituals: Sacred Traditions of Highland West Papua
The Dani people of West Papua, Indonesia’s easternmost province, embody a rich tapestry of indigenous traditions that intertwine belief systems with social culture, none more vividly than the pig feast … Continue Reading Dani Pig Feast Rituals: Beliefs, Social Culture, and Communal Harmony in West Papua
West Papua, Indonesia’s easternmost province, is a vibrant mosaic of over 250 indigenous ethnic groups, where traditional ceremonies serve as the lifeblood of belief systems and social culture. Rooted in … Continue Reading Traditional Ceremonies in West Papua: Pillars of Belief, Social Culture, and Communal Harmony